Bedford Borough Council has partnered with Street Tag and BeActive to launch a treasure hunt style game that encourages communities to explore their surroundings and get active. The game goes live on Monday 31 July and people can download the app and sign in now, ready for the launch day.

Residents can download the Street Tag app for free and engage in friendly rivalry on the Community Leaderboard, competing with neighbours for the high score. Points will be earned by scanning virtual tags strategically placed throughout the borough and converting daily steps into Street Tag points, encouraging residents to explore their neighbourhoods and get active. There will also be special QR codes on posters that can be scanned for higher value rewards which aim to encourage people to visit specific venues for one off or regular events.

As well as the Community Leaderboard, schools within Bedford Borough will be able to compete on a Schools Leaderboard from September, fostering a friendly and exciting rivalry. Students, parents/carers and grandparents will be able to join together to help their school climb a leader board and win prizes.

"Our goal is to build strong, active communities that thrive both physically and mentally. We are excited to be forging a new partnership in Bedford Borough that will help families and communities get physically active in a fun, sustainable, and accessible way," says Seun Oshinaike, founder of Street Tag.

The project aims to encourage families and individuals to spend more time outdoors, participating in physical activities, leading to increased community engagement and improved mental well-being across Bedford Borough.

Councillor Martin Towler, Portfolio Holder for Health, Public Health and Wellbeing, said, "Street Tag is an exciting and inclusive way for families and friends to enjoy time together outside, get active and try to win some prizes”.

Parents and carers will no doubt appreciate another fun and free activity for the school holidays."

Clare Fitzboydon, Director of Be Active, said, “We know that being active can be challenging for many individuals, so an incentivised creative opportunity like Street Tag is a brilliant way to inspire people to move more and start or build their healthy moving habits. We will be working with all partners to try and engage the least active, as we believe that they have the most to gain by being active. We are delighted to be part of this!”

Residents can join the app for free by searching ‘Street Tag’ on their app store and start playing in less than a minute. It’s really easy to add younger children to a parent/carers account so that they can join in in too and earn points and rewards as they walk or cycle. The Community Leaderboard allows small teams of up to six people to compete, the top-performing teams will have the opportunity to win fantastic prizes, further adding to the excitement and motivation of participating in Street Tag.

To learn more about Street Tag and download the app, please visit www.streettag.co.uk. Stay connected and follow ‘StreetTagBedford’ on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram and ‘StTagBedford’ on Twitter for regular updates and challenges.